by Marie Force
When he showed no sign of ending the kiss, Liana pushed gently on his chest to remind him of where they were. She smiled at the expression on his face.
“Sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Lost my head for a moment there. That’s what you do to me.” He hooked an arm around her and crossed the street to find her some clam chowder.
After lunch, they strolled back toward the car. When they reached Washington Square, he tugged at her hand and led her to the box office at the Opera House.
“The matinee has already begun, sir,” the ticket agent said.
“That’s all right.” He slid a twenty across the counter. “We’ll take two.”
“Travis, what’re you doing?” Liana protested. “We missed the beginning.”
He didn’t answer her as he pushed open the door to the darkened theater and guided her into the back row ahead of him.
Except for another couple sitting close to the front, they were the only people in the theater.
Travis took off his jacket and then helped with hers.
“It’s freezing in here,” she shivered against the chill of the air conditioning.
He grazed her breasts. “So it seems.”
She swatted his hand away from her sensitive nipples. “Stop it,” she whispered with a nervous giggle.
“No,” he said against her ear, sending a shiver through her. Unbuttoning the top two buttons of her blouse, he slid his hand straight into her bra and muffled her gasp with a deep, probing kiss.
The action film was loud otherwise the other people in the theater might have heard her moan when he pinched her hardened nipple between two persistent fingers. He reached down to open the front clasp on her bra along with another button on her top.
“Travis,” Liana warned, grabbing his hand.
He dipped his head to lave at her exposed nipple.
“Oh my God,” she whispered when she felt his hand on her thigh. Before she had time to wonder what he would do next, he tugged at her panties.
“Lift up, sweetheart,” he whispered against her neck.
“No!” she hissed.
“Yes,” he insisted, pulling harder at the scrap of fabric as he plunged his tongue into her mouth to quiet her protests.
As if she were outside herself watching someone else, Liana lifted her hips and felt her panties travel down her legs.
With a victorious grin, he twirled them around one finger before he pushed them into his pocket and went back to kissing her.
Liana thought she would go mad wondering what he planned to do with what he had uncovered, but he appeared to be in no rush as he kissed her senseless and played with her bare breasts. “Travis, come on,” she whispered franticly. “Let’s go to your place if you want to do this.”
“It’s more fun here.”
“No, it’s not.”
He rendered her mute when his hand returned to her thigh, this time easing her legs apart.
“Travis…”
“You said I could branch out.”
“Not in public!” she snapped.
He glanced around them. “Who’s looking?”
“But—”
“Shh,” he whispered as his fingers explored her. “Relax.”
Liana’s mind went blank when he stroked her and kissed her with long, deep thrusts of his tongue that mimicked the movement of his fingers. As her body began to quicken with excitement, her face went hot with shame over how much she was enjoying it. When she came apart against his hand he kept his mouth tight against hers to stop her gasps from escaping into the suddenly quiet movie theater.
Still breathing hard, Liana uncurled her toes and relaxed into him.
“I thought you said that doesn’t happen easily for you,” he whispered.
“Usually it doesn’t.” She glanced at him and then pushed him away from her. “You don’t have to look so smug.”
“Who’s smug?”
“Give me back my underwear.”
“No. I like knowing you’re naked and ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“Whatever I think of next.”
“I can’t walk around without underwear.”
“Sure you can.” He buttoned her shirt, grabbed their jackets, and took her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
In the lobby, she pulled free of him and went into the rest room. Her image in the mirror was startling—red face, swollen lips, and abraded cheeks where his whiskers had rubbed against her sensitive skin. She looked like a common trollop, but she felt divine. That was the only word for it. Refastening her bra and straightening her clothes, Liana shivered from the air conditioning and the sensation of being naked under her skirt.
“You wanted a fling,” she whispered into the mirror as she attempted to restore order to her hair and face, knowing she would never forget the most erotic encounter of her life. And their fling had only just begun.
Standing before the men’s room mirror, Travis splashed cold water on his face. “Who do you think you’re kidding?” he asked his reflection in the mirror. You’re not going to last another day without her in your bed. He took a deep breath to calm his agitated body. After putting all his efforts into pleasing her, he pulsated with unfulfilled desire that could only be spent on her.
In three days, Liana had managed to invade his thoughts, fill his dreams, and fire him with a kind of passion he’d never imagined he possessed. For all his talk about other women, there had never been another one he wanted the way he wanted her. Maybe it was time to shift this fling into high gear.
Chapter Eight
On the ride back to Portsmouth, Travis glanced over at her and saw her working on that poor lip. “Hey, are you mad?”
“What?” She seemed startled. “Why would I be mad?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you didn’t like what we did in the theater?”
Her cheeks turned red, and he had to remind himself to watch the road.
“I liked it,” she said softly.
He reached for her hand. “It’s okay if you didn’t.”
“I was terrified we were going to get caught,” she confessed.
“Why do you think I sat on the aisle?”
She looked at him, brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“So I could shield you in case anyone came in. From the aisle no one would have seen you—or anything.”
“You really thought of that?”
“Of course I did. I knew what I wanted to do when we went in there. I would’ve thrown myself over you before I would’ve let anyone else see what I was seeing. Okay?”
Her eyes filled.
“Now what?” he asked with exasperation he didn’t really feel.
“It’s just . . .” She fiddled with his fingers on her lap.
“What?”
“I don’t often feel safe . . . with men, but I do with you. In the movie theater I didn’t feel entirely safe, but that made it kind of more . . .”
“Exciting?”
She nodded.
“That was the idea.”
“Now that I know you had a plan, that you were thinking of me that way, it makes me feel safe. I know that must sound crazy, but it’s true.”
He kissed her hand. “You are safe with me, Liana. I’ll always have a plan.”
“That seems to suggest we’re going public again,” she said with a wary look.
He grinned. “You never know, sweetheart.”
“You’re determined to turn me into a nervous wreck, aren’t you?”
Abruptly, he pulled off the highway into a dirt parking lot and reached for her. “I’m determined to make sure you have some fun.” The kiss was gentle, but the punch of it spiraled through him. Again the sensation of falling was almost overwhelming as her hand landed on his chest. Go easy, North. You can’t fall for her. You can’t. Even as he wondered if it was already too late for such warnings, he leaned in to kiss her again. “Do you like salmon?”
Taken aback by the change
of subject, Liana said, “I love it. Why?”
He pulled the car onto the road. “Let’s hit the grocery store, and I’ll make you some salmon.”
“I can’t go in the grocery store without underwear. I might . . . catch a cold.”
Travis laughed. “Think of it as another new adventure.”
“Come on,” she pleaded, reaching into the pocket of his shorts. “Give them back.”
The car swerved, and he grabbed her hand. “Watch out. You might get more than you bargained for in there.”
She sighed. “You’re impossible.”
He parked the car at the town’s only grocery store and adjusted her ball cap down over her face. “Ready?”
“Sure, my face is covered, but you couldn’t care less that I’m naked under my skirt.”
“Oh, I care.” He pulled her into a deep, searching kiss. “That’s all I’m thinking about.” Releasing her, he got out of the car and walked around to open her door.
Inside, Travis carried a basket as they walked to the back of the store where fresh seafood was sold.
Liana teased him about how picky he was about which cut of the pink fish they were going to buy. He spent an equal amount of time choosing the greens for a salad. “You’re a food snob.”
“What’s wrong with that?” he asked with mock offense as they approached the check out counter.
Liana froze. “Oh no,” she whispered. “No.”
“Liana? What is it?”
He followed her eyes to the rack of tabloids that lined the checkout. Splashed across the front page was a picture of her in the hideous bridesmaid dress dancing with him. The headline blared “Fashion Disaster: What Was She Thinking?” with a line below it asking, “Who’s Liana’s New Man?” Travis put the basket on the conveyer belt, reached for the pile of papers, and walked along the row of checkout counters collecting them all.
Liana had gone mute with shock.
Travis dropped the papers on the belt along with their groceries.
The high school girl working the register looked up at him with wide eyes. “All of them?”
“All of them,” Travis replied, reaching for Liana’s hand. He paid and nudged her through the double doors ahead of him. Once they were outside, he jammed the papers into the trashcan next to the door.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said in a small voice.
He reached for his cell phone. “Yes, I did,” he said, pressing a number on his phone. “Beck, I need another favor.” He told his security chief about the photo in the tabloid. “Can you find out where they got it? I suspect it was the wedding photographer. If so, get his ass into my office at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. Also, tighten security at the gate. I don’t want any reporters on the property.” He paused to listen. “Okay, that would be great. Thanks, I appreciate it.” Travis returned the phone to his pocket and put his arm around her.
“They’ll descend on this town,” she said in a flat, lifeless tone. “They’re probably already digging into your life. You should let your family know.”
Alarmed by the shattered look on her face, he helped her into the car. He got in and reached for her. “Hey, don’t worry. Beck’s not going to let them into North Point, and he’s sending a couple of guys over to keep an eye on your mother’s house, too. If they come, they won’t bother you.”
She looked up at him with tearful eyes. “With the vandalism at North Point, you don’t need to be diverting security away from your place.”
“Let me take care of it, Liana. You can’t expect me to do nothing.”
“My agent told me this morning they want me back in Milan to do a re-shoot. Maybe I should just go. You don’t need this right now.”
“What about what you need?” With his index finger on her chin he turned her to him. “What about our fling?”
She shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.” He ran his hand over her thigh and was gratified by the hitch in her breathing. “You promised me two weeks, and it’s only been two days. We haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.”
She rewarded him with a weak smile.
He kissed her and then started the car to drive to North Point.
Beck was at the gate when they arrived. He leaned into the window Travis opened. “I sent a couple of guys to buy and trash the rest of the copies in town. Don’t worry, Ms. McDermott, we’ll find out who sold them the photo.”
“Thank you, Beck. And please, call me Liana. I really appreciate you helping out with Jessie, too.”
“It’s a terrible burden, but somehow I’ll manage.”
Liana laughed at his goofy expression.
“Any sign of reporters here?” Travis asked.
“Not yet. We’re on the lookout, though.”
“Good, thanks. No one speaks to them about me. Understood?”
“I’ve already put out the word.”
“Are you always one step ahead of me?”
Beck smiled. “Seems that way, doesn’t it? They’re sending Jessica in a limo from New York. I expect her around two a.m., so I’ll hang out until she gets settled.”
“Great,” Travis said. “Thank you very much.”
“You guys have a nice evening.”
They parked in the garage under the tower and took the elevator to his apartment. Liana stepped off ahead of him, and after Travis had stashed the groceries in the kitchen, he went to find her.
On the patio, she looked out at the bay. The rain had stopped, and the sky had cleared in time for a brilliant sunset.
Travis put his hands on her shoulders. “How you doing?” When she didn’t answer him, he turned her around and brought her into his arms. “It’s okay, honey. They’re not going to bother you here. You’re safe with me, remember?”
She hooked her fingers through the belt loops on his shorts and leaned her head against his chest. “I’m sorry. You’d think I’d be used to it by now. I just really wanted this time to myself at home without the intrusion.”
He kissed her forehead. “And you’re going to have that. I promise.”
“I’d feel much better if you would warn your family they might be harassed.”
“Okay,” he said with a kiss to the end of her nose. He reached into his pocket for his cell phone, pressed a button on his speed dial, and held her close to him while he waited for someone to answer. “Hi, Mom. It’s Travis. How’s it going?” He listened to his mother’s news for a minute. “Listen, Mom, I wanted to tell you that you may be hearing from some reporters. I want you to do me a favor and not talk to them, okay?”
“Are you in some sort of trouble, Travis?”
“No, it’s nothing like that. I’ve been seeing someone famous, and the media has caught wind of it.”
“Who do you know that’s famous?”
“The very beautiful Liana McDermott.”
Liana blushed, and he pressed his lips to her cheek.
“The model?”
“The one and only.”
“How did you meet her?”
“At a wedding at North Point.” Travis rolled his eyes at the barrage of questions. “So, Mom, don’t talk to the press, okay? Tell everyone else to just ignore them. Will you do that for me?”
“Would we be on T.V. if we talked to them?”
Travis stiffened. “I’m asking you not to, Mom,” he said quietly but firmly.
“Oh, all right, don’t get huffy with me. So when are you bringing your model girlfriend home to meet us?”
Unprepared to answer such a question, Travis glanced down at Liana. “She’s really busy. She’s only in town for a couple of weeks and is going back to work right after that.”
“It’s not like you ever come home anyway.”
“Mom—”
“Well, I have to go. Maybe you could call once in a while, huh?”
“Okay,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’ll talk to you soon. Tell Dad I said hi.”
“Goodbye, Travis.”
Travis stashed
the phone in his pocket. “Could you hear every word of that?”
Liana looked up at him with sad eyes. “I’m sorry to be causing you grief with her.”
“It’s got nothing to do with you. It’s her. She’s miserable and has been my whole life. It’s all too much for her—too many kids, not enough money. Complain, complain.”
“That must’ve been hard to live with. You’re such a positive person.”
He laughed, but there was an edge to it. “I wasn’t always.” Running his hands over her arms, he looked over her shoulder at the view from the patio. “I had my parents up here one weekend so they could see what I was doing. Do you know what she said?”
Liana winced. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
He shifted his gaze back to her. “She said, ‘It sure must be nice to have so much money.’ I made sure they had everything they needed for life before I spent a dime here. Why did she have to say that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never understood people who have to tear others down to make themselves feel important.”
“Yes,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Yes. That’s exactly what she does.”
“She won’t talk to the press, will she?”
“I don’t think so. As much as she likes to whine and complain, she wouldn’t do that to me.”
“What’s your dad like?” Liana asked.
“He’s a good guy, but he drinks. A lot. I think it’s so he won’t have to listen to her.”
“I’m sure in their own way they’re proud of you, Travis. How could they not be?”
He shrugged. “I tell myself it doesn’t matter.”
“You’ve done a really incredible thing here. I’m proud of you. Not that it’s the same thing . . .”
“No,” he said hoarsely. “Don’t qualify it. Thank you.”
She caressed his face and brought him down for a soft, sweet kiss.
Travis held her close and took possession of her mouth. Filled with desire and what was starting to feel an awful lot like love, he pulled back to focus on her neck. “How did you end up comforting me?”
She rolled her head to the side to give him better access. “I don’t know,” she said breathlessly.
“There is one bit of good news.”
